Pray for the Turkish Church

Dr. Darrell Bock has been blogging about the recent martyrdom of three men in Turkey.

I'm glad I read about it because I'm a soft Christian. I don't understand persecution - let alone martyrdom. I forget that so many fellow believers today are dying for their faith.

A letter from the the church there in Turkey. Powerful words. Read if you have time.

Some details, links, and somewhat disturbing videos.

We need to pray for the church there. Several quotes from the letter really challenged my heart.

Quote 1: “Don’t pray against persecution, pray for perseverence,” urges Pastor Fikret Bocek.

Quote 2:

In an act that hit front pages in the largest newspapers in Turkey, Susanne Tilman in a television interview expressed her forgiveness. She did not want revenge, she told reporters. “Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do,” she said, wholeheartedly agreeing with the words of Christ on Calvary (Luke 23:34).

In a country where blood-for-blood revenge is as normal as breathing, many many reports have come to the attention of the church of how this comment of Susanne Tilman has changed lives. One columnist wrote of her comment, “She said in one sentence what 1000 missionaries in 1000 years could never do.”